Living Bread Ministries: Working among the global poor

by Patrick Hubbard

Globally there is a deficit of church planting efforts among the poor and needy. There is a significant amount of humanitarian work among the global poor, but the vision for church planting is not always present. When there is a vision for church planting, it is typically a house church movement, which has been effective but does not meet every need.

What about a church-planting movement among the global poor seeking to plant missional churches that will minister in a comprehensive way? Where the local body of Christ is discipled through preaching and teaching ministries, as well as in home Bible studies. Where they love one another and the community in a spiritual, physical, and relational way. An interdependent movement where Westerners and nationals join with the residents of a given needy community and assist them in establishing a church, but most importantly, teaching them to be the church.

Ministries such as feeding the hungry, caring for the sick, assisting widows and orphans would be done by the local body through these church plants. Development work like computer and language classes, as well as providing school supplies, would be done via the local body of Christ in partnership with other national churches and Westerners; everyone bringing what they have to the table in order to see the kingdom of God expand among the global poor.

Training Pastors in Brazil

This is exactly what Living Bread Ministries (LBM) is doing. We have established a Brazilian led church-planting ministry focused on planting missional churches among the poor and needy throughout Latin America and the world. In partnership with this organization LBM has planted eight churches among the urban poor in Brazil and we continue to expand.

Praying with the Leader of LBM Brazil

Likewise, LBM is in the process of establishing a Thai led church-planting ministry focused on the poor and needy globally but especially in Asia. Through an interdependent partnership with LBM this organization will plant missional churches among the poor and needy. We believe that our comprehensive approach to church planting will allow us to greatly impact the problem of human trafficking since this wicked industry thrives on the desperation of the poor. (see Our Vision for Thailand)

Living Bread is a relatively young ministry (founded in 2004 by Patrick and Bárbara Hubbard) but our approach is proving to be very effective. There are difficulties to be sure, but we believe interdependence is the key to working among the global poor. It is through interdependence that the global church best functions as the unified body of Christ and it is through interdependence that everyone’s contribution is valued equally. This is empowering to the poor and needy and humbling to the rich and powerful.

Bio: Patrick Hubbard
I am a native of central Virginia where I met Bárbara; who had come to my high school from Brazil as an exchange student. We were married shortly after graduation and now have three children Patrick (11), Tabitha (8), and Olívia (5). In 2012 we celebrated 20 years of marriage.

Prior to receiving Christ I worked in the hospitality industry managing multiple national franchise hotels and eventually became a Regional Manager overseeing as many as nine hotels. I have a BS in Religious Studies from Liberty University and am currently pursuing an MA in Global Studies from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.